CH 14.1

Bai Lixin ended up declining all invitations from the guilds, but he still added them as friends as a matter of courtesy before following the system’s prompt to the original hive.

The hive was a high-rise condominium dedicated to living. The roof of the building went straight into the clouds, and Bai Lixin noticed that there were 999 floors.

System: [This is where all players live. The lower the total performance score, the lower the floor you live on. The lift is unidirectional, so players on higher floors can juggle downwards.  Your current range of activity is only the first two floors.]

System: [On the contrary, the higher the total score, the higher the floor and the better the living environment! The one with the highest ranking can enjoy a single villa on the highest floor with mountains, water, and an outdoor pool! This is the kind of living environment that all social animals dream of! So in order to get a big house soon, please work hard!]

Bai Lixin: [You’re sounding like a pyramid scheme leader trying to pull people in.]

System: [….]

Bai Lixin’s expression was torn: [I only have one question.]

System: [What question?]

Bai Lixin: [There are 999 floors, is the fire equipment up to date? Is there an escape ladder? What if there is an oxygen shortage?]

The system gritted its teeth: [This is the game lobby; it’s perfectly safe! The higher you go, the more comfortable and privileged you will be. There will be no discomfort whatsoever!]

Bai Lixin: [System, your temper has yet to be honed. I have an old friend who started out like you. He had a little temper, but it got better after a while.]

System: [A reminder to the player that my personality is set in the background and cannot be changed.]

Bai Lixin: [It said the same thing at the time.]

System: […..]

Bai Lixin now had a performance score of 2000 and could stay on the 2nd floor.

Bai Lixin walked directly to room 2021 and pushed the door open.

Although it was a low-level hive, the living environment was actually quite good. It was similar to a single room in a hostel.

There was a bed, a bookcase, a desk, a washroom, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a computer on the desk.

System: [The game lobby is a safe area, and attacks on players are prohibited. In order to protect the privacy of the players, all rooms need to be updated with personal information, and no one is allowed to enter the players’ private space unless the owner agrees.]

Bai Lixin closed the door and glanced around the room before sitting down in front of the computer.

The screen slowly lit up with the power-on tone.

On the left side of the screen were several small icons.

He clicked on the first icon.

Bai Lixin opened the live broadcast room and searched for a while, but did not find the recorded video of his own copy.

System: [There is no recording function in the live broadcast room.  You can only watch the content of the copy through the live stream.]

Bai Lixin opened a random live broadcast room. It was a live broadcast of a mid-end bureau copy being broken through.

[Copy: The Blood clan. Number of starting players: 50; Number of remaining players: 3.]

The timer in the top right corner was nearing the end, and just as the countdown was about to end, a blood-red dialogue box popped up on the live stream screen.

[All players of this copy died. The breakthrough has failed.]

Bai Lixin: [Can players collect dungeon game data by watching the live broadcast?]

System: [Yes, but we have millions of copies and the chances of a player watching a copy and entering it later is very small. We also update the game copies from time to time to ensure the freshness of the game.]

System: [In addition, all injuries suffered by players in the copies, including but not limited to illnesses, cuts, fractures, etc., can be eliminated as long as they make it back to the game lobby alive. The body will be restored to its previous state of health.]

[The elimination of negative damage is automatic and no points are charged. Points are required to purchase props from the points mall, and players can make the purchases before the copy opens. Game props can be placed in the system backpack and brought into the copy. However, once you enter the copy, the mall cannot be used. In addition, items from the copy cannot be put into the system backpack.]

Bai Lixin: [Can I enter the River God copy again?]

System: [Sorry, all the hidden storylines of the River God copy have been unlocked. This copy has lost its value and is completely blocked.]

Bai Lixin closed his computer and walked to the bathroom.

He was still wearing the sacrificial clothes from the River God copy, the corners of which were already a bit torn.

After buying a few sets of clothes and daily necessities from the points mall, Bai Lixin took off the sacrificial robe and threw it into the basket.

He turned on the shower, and the dense, cool water cascaded down from his head, washing over Bai Lixin’s entire body.

He looked back at the sacrificial robes, which had two small holes in the milky white collar. These were made when Dijia manipulated the water to close up his robes.

The copy of the River God had been sealed off, and he didn’t know whether Dijia, who had been trapped inside, had left.

He entered the game lobby directly after the copy ended, but he seemed to hear Dijia say “I will see you again”. The rest was a dream about how the evil spirit of the River God copy came to be.

Since he said they would meet again, the odds were that he had already left that world safely.

The room gradually became foggy.

The 95% force weakening buff had cleared, and the cold water rolled over Bai Lixin’s skin, raising a light, cool layer on his skin and taking away the exhaustion of the last few days.

Bai Lixin tilted his head back, his hands going through his hair.

Because of this movement, his whole body arched into a nice curve, his slender neck stretching up.

Just as Bai Lixin was about to apply the shower gel, a stream of water curled around his wrist without warning, and Bai Lixin’s slightly closed eyes snapped open.

He was about to turn around when a strong force pressed him against the cold white porcelain wall.

The man’s husky voice echoed in his ears, “I told you, we would meet again.”

Bai Lixin tried to turn back, but the hands squeezed his chin tightly, keeping his face in the direction of the white porcelain wall. From the reflection on the wall, Bai Lixin could only faintly see the tall, broad shoulders and the cold, sharp outline of the man behind him.

Bai Lixin, “The system protects player privacy, how did you get in?!”

Two streams of water brought Bai Lixin’s hands against the wall, and then a pair of large palms reached out from behind him and slid along Bai Lixin’s arms and settled on his left hand.

The bony fingers interlocked into Bai Lixin’s fingers with gentle pressure. The milky white skin looked soft against the wheat-colored skin.

His lips gently grazed Bai Lixin’s neck, following the taut curve to Bai Lixin’s ear.

“You belong to my collection. Why can’t I enter where you stay?”

The deep voice was like it was wrapped in fire, and the warmth of the breath tickled Bai Lixin’s earlobe.

Within moments, his ears flushed a nice peach color.

“Why are you bathing in cold water? It’s bad for your health.”

A stream of water curled up to the switch that regulated the temperature of the water, and within moments, the water overhead was steaming hot and the surroundings became misty.

The man chuckled softly, “If only there was a mirror in here so you could admire yourself as you are. You probably don’t know how tempting you look now, do you? Let me help you describe it in words.”

A bony index finger gently grazed the back of Bai Lixin’s finger, as if to suggest something.

“Your ten fingers are pressed hard against the wall, your body is taut, your expression has both forbearance and restraint, yet the ends of your eyes are pink, as if you are enduring some kind of force.”

The man paused, “Oh, look at me. Aren’t you bearing my weight?”

Bai Lixin’s cheeks flushed.

No shit.

The man’s other hand rubbed Bai Lixin’s delicate chin and his warm lips kissed the back of his neck, “I came to let you know that I got out of the copy, so don’t worry. I’ll see you next time.”

The man slowly withdrew the hand covering the back of Bai Lixin’s left hand, his slightly calloused fingertips gently sliding up the arm and landing along the line at his collarbone.

“And don’t let me see you bathing in cold water next time. Take good care of this body; it’s mine.”

As soon as the man’s words left his mouth, the weight that was suppressing Bai Lixin instantly disappeared.

Countless water droplets exploded from all around, spreading in the air and turning into one small flower after another.

A low voice with some laughter echoed in the bathroom, “The flowers are for you. I hope you like them.”

The small white flowers made of 3D water stayed in the air for as long as half a minute before slowly turning into a mist that lingered around Bai Lixin.

Bai Lixin: “….”

It’s outrageous. If you are here, can’t you chat a bit more?

He still had something to ask, okay?

—

In the darkness, a man slowly opened his slightly closed eyes and said, “System, is it right to give white flowers to the widower as condolences?”

The system was unsure: [It’s very reasonable.]

The man closed his eyes again and said, “That’s good.”

—

Ten minutes later, Bai Lixin walked out of the room wrapped in a towel; the sky outside simulated the realistic 24-hour time calculation, and it was already dark when he glanced outside 

There was a clock hanging on the wall showing 8 p.m.

[Ding!]

The [Friends] bar beeped.

Bai Lixin opened it and found that it was the discussion group.

Zhou Guang: [How is everyone doing?]

Bai Lixin: [Safe.]

Xia Chi: [I’m safe too.]

Liang Xi: [I’ve just arrived at the hive.]

Li Cancan: [Me too, I just finished eating.]

Zhou Guang: [Do you want to make an appointment to meet up?]

Liang Xi: [Let’s do that tomorrow. I just want to get a good night’s sleep now. I haven’t showered for three days. It’s so painful.]

Li Cancan: [Me too…]

Zhou Guang: [Tomorrow then? Is it okay for Bai Lixin and Xia Chi?]

Bai Lixin: [Yes, no problem.]

Xia Chi: [OK.]

After the discussion, Bai Lixin changed into his pajamas and then lay down on his bed to study the points mall.